#MotivationalMonday must-haves for start-of-the-week success

Posted on 4th December 2017

Monday: it's here again. It's cold, it's dark and you're counting down how many early starts are left until the Christmas break. You haven't had your morning coffee yet, so it's a bit of a struggle, but whatever the answer is, it's far too many.

This may well be true, but having that attitude is not going to make your Monday any easier or more enjoyable. We know it can be tough, but getting yourself into a positive mindset for the start of the week will help your Monday to be much more successful, despite how cold it is and how tired you are.

As that can be hard to achieve on a Monday, we suggest starting to prepare yourself on a Sunday, as this means half of the work is done for you and your #MotivationalMonday is already partly underway. Here's how:

Prepare your lunch and outfit in advance

It can be so tempting to hit the snooze button as many times as you possibly can on a Monday morning, leaving you rushing to get ready and with no time to prepare a healthy lunch, which inevitably means you have to grab something on the go.

But making your lunch the day before means this doesn't have to be an issue and you can start the week healthily. Make a big pan of soup on a Sunday afternoon to heat up throughout the week or prepare a big batch of pasta to have over the next few days. You'll be incredibly grateful to 'past you' for thinking ahead when Monday comes around. Eating well can boost your wellbeing too, so preparing in advance can help to make your winter Mondays all the brighter.

Extra tip: put the slow cooker on before you leave for work and your evening meal will be ready when you get home in the evening, meaning you won't have to cook then either.

Image credit: Lisovskaya via iStock

Picking out what to wear before you go to bed on a Sunday night can also help to save you precious time in the morning and prevent that dreaded got-dressed-in-the-dark look. At this time of year, you know it's going to be cold, which makes choosing an outfit in advance a lot easier.

Wake yourself up with an invigorating shower

Getting in the shower may not seem an incredibly pleasant prospect on a cold Monday morning, but remember it'll be lovely and hot once you're in there and it'll help to wake you up and motivate you for the day ahead.

Once you get home, run yourself a hot bath

Using a refreshing soap, like our zingy Tea Tree Soap Bar, will also help to wake you up after a tiring weekend. Tea tree is a natural antiseptic, so using this means that you'll be protecting your skin against bacteria and fungi as well - something you can definitely feel pleased with yourself about.

Conquer your to-do list

After two days away from your job, getting back into the swing of things can take a little longer than usual, especially when you're tired. But writing out a clear to-do list before you leave the office on Friday or as soon as you arrive on Monday means you're starting the day off feeling organised and with clear direction.

Image credit: Jacob Ammentorp Lund via iStock

Buy yourself a notebook with a motivational message on the cover to give yourself an extra boost, or take advantage of one of the free handy project management apps like Trello that will set your to-do list out clearly for you, allowing you to digitally tick each item off as you go. Seeing everything you've achieved already in a day laid out in front of you can be a great form of motivation to keep you going.

Look forward to your evening

Hometime might be the part of Monday that you look forward to the most, but you can make it all the more special by making sure you've got a few treats waiting for you when you get home. If you made the effort to have a healthy lunch, you don't want to be ruining that with cakes and chocolate, but a pamper session for getting through Monday would be well-deserved.

Once you get home, run yourself a hot bath and pop in one of our Shea Butter Bath Melts. Made with super-nourishing shea and cocoa butter, these will leave your skin feeling lovely and moisturised - just what you need after a long, cold day.

For even more relaxing vibes, light a scented candle. Our Citrus Lavender Candle in a Glass will fill the room with a gorgeous citrusy and floral fragrance, with the lavender calming you after a stressful day, leaving you feeling soothed and relaxed and ready to enjoy your evening - remember, lunch is already made for the next few days.

Put on your favourite film, pour yourself a glass of wine and put your feet up - well done, you survived Monday! That relaxing evening should provide you with enough motivation to do exactly the same next week too.

Our pampering products contain natural ingredients that will wake you up or calm you down depending on what time of Monday it is - explore the whole collection here

about Heyland & Whittle

Heyland & Whittle is a quality soap and home fragrance manufacturer based in England. We create what we believe are outstanding natural products with tradition, style and authenticity for a discerning market.

Inspired by our original location on a farm in rural Surrey, Heyland & Whittle produce a range of handmade soaps in the traditional cold-processed method, using only the very best natural ingredients. Essential oils, herbs and spices are combined to create our sulphate and paraben-free range. READ MORE